Slash and Burn Read online

  Her voice was low, almost derisive. “I don’t need tricks. My playing speaks for itself.”

  He couldn’t let that one go. “Yeah, and how many personal fans do you have, Sinna?”

  She sneered—actually sneered—and, for some strange reason, Nick felt a twitch in his cock at the sight. He stopped himself from bursting into laughter, because that would have made her angrier. While he didn’t mind her angry, he hoped to be able to enjoy a real conversation. She took two steps closer to him and said, “I don’t count how many personal fans I have, if I even have any. It’s not about me, Nick, any more than it’s about you.” Her voice wrapped around his name like honey, but it oozed disgust. He still wasn’t sure if he found it hot or not. She continued, not giving him a chance to evaluate his emotions. “It’s about us as a group, as a band, and until we gel, there will be division, and if we’re not cohesive, what the hell kind of music are we gonna make?”

  “I see your point, but I have a counterpoint. If you are all about the band and don’t give a shit about yourself, then where’s your pride? Your personal responsibility?” He stood up. He’d been joking before, but now he was dead serious. Some small part of himself felt like she might be questioning his integrity, and that pissed him off. “When you fuck up onstage—and you will—will you blame all of us? We’re a band, after all.” He couldn’t help the tone in his voice. There would be no way for her to mistake how irritated he was becoming. It had been cute before, but now she was pushing some button that set him off. He wasn’t sure if he was angrier with her for pissing him off or himself for getting mad at her in the first place.

  She rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, Nick. You know that’s not what I meant.” She got closer to him.

  He closed the gap, so close that their noses almost touched. “How the fuck should I know that?” His eyes searched hers, trying to decide if she was wanting to start a war. But then, as he continued looking back and forth between those blue orbs, he saw them soften ever so slightly. He let his jaw relax a little then, but he still couldn’t quite read her.

  Her words, however, were still acerbic. “Because you’re a smart fucking guy.” She cocked an eyebrow again. He couldn’t decide if he fucking loved the way she did that or if it was just another irritant. “Or so I thought.”

  Nick tried once more to assess her and fell short. He could feel some kind of weird electricity sparking between them. At first, he’d thought it was the anger, but then he realized that maybe there was something more. He moved his head a few centimeters closer and she didn’t budge. His voice was barely a whisper when he said, “I am a smart fucking guy. I’m so goddamned smart that I figured out what this is all about.”

  She furrowed her previously cocked brow, but he barely saw it as he brought his mouth down on hers. He knew that had to be the issue at hand—the sexual attraction between them both was interfering with their ability to communicate. It was making them angry, accusatory, and they weren’t acting like bandmates or even acquaintances. They were spitting at each other like they were mortal enemies. That might have been okay, but Nick definitely had other ideas about which way their relationship should be heading.

  He heard her mumble, “What the—?” Then he expected her to fight, based on her initial stance, but she let go and gave in, kissing him back.

  It was an incredible explosion in his head, the sparks he felt because of the way their tongues danced together and the warmth of her body close to his. Feeling more in control then, he slid his hands around her waist and pulled her close. Brina was tall, taller than most women Nick fucked. With her boots on, she was almost as tall as he, so he didn’t have to bend his neck. They were almost eye to eye.

  He felt her hands slide up his chest. His cock was ready to let go, aching to be pumped full of blood so it could do the deed it was made for, but he needed to hold it together. They were at Val’s, for fuck sake, and—worse—Brad and Val would be back at any minute. There would be no fucking right here, right now.

  But he could lay the groundwork.

  The way her hands glided up his chest was doing it for him. Jesus Christ. He couldn’t wait for her to do that to him with his shirt off. Except, just as he was beginning to relish it, she pushed against him, shoving him back. He resisted at first but then he responded, realizing she was damn serious.

  “What?”

  “I could ask you the same thing. What the fuck was that all about?”

  “Wasn’t just me. It sure as hell felt like you were kissing me back.”

  She snorted and backed away, a sardonic smile on her lips marring her features. “I said you were smart…but I take it all back now.”

  He shook his head. “Oh, really? You telling me you didn’t just kiss me back?”

  She clenched her jaw before answering. “It was instinct.”

  “Instinct. Okay. Whatever.” That was it. He was done with her. Apparently, she liked fucking around with people—that was her thing. Well, she couldn’t fuck around with Nick. And if she wanted to deny what he’d just felt, more power to her. There were plenty of other women out there who’d beg for a kiss from him, let alone everything else he had to offer.

  “Don’t you know?”

  That she was a crazy fucking bitch? Yeah…he was beginning to figure that out. But he sat back down at his kit and shook his head, his lips sealed in response. He was done talking. She didn’t deserve any more conversation with him—not now, at any rate.

  And where the hell were Val and Brad anyway?

  Brina’s voice was softer than he’d expected, the harsh, streetwise tone out of it for but a moment. “I have a girlfriend, Nick. And you’re asking me to cheat on her.”

  What the fuck? And where the hell did the floor disappear to?

  Chapter Six

  VAL WAS TALKING tour details, but Nick’s mind was circling around the revelation Brina had hit him with earlier. Okay, so, the fact that she was a lesbian explained a lot. It explained why she took issue with his obvious love and adoration of (okay, lust toward) women and why she wasn’t a bit susceptible to any of his charms. It might even explain her animosity toward him—in a way, he was a bit of competition.

  That wasn’t necessarily true—he knew that. It all depended upon the type of women she went for. He couldn’t even ask, though, because Brad and Val had entered with the food not seconds after Brina had hit him with her big reveal.

  God, but he was dying to ask her more. He was brimming over with questions.

  A lesbian? Holy shit, that was hot. His cock was itching and it needed to be scratched. What sucked was that Brina wasn’t the woman to polish him off, though. She could still participate in the fantasies in his head, but if she wasn’t into men, he’d have to move on.

  That kiss, though…that had felt real. Too real to deny.

  So, after business was over, Nick decided to ask Brina to have a conversation with him. Nothing big because, again, he got the feeling she didn’t like to talk much. Maybe she needed to feel more comfortable with him first. He didn’t know, but he did want to open the doors a bit. If they were going to work together, they might not have to like one another, but a little respect and maybe even friendship might go a long way toward helping them as people and definitely boosting the band. Sure, a band was a business, first and foremost, but how many bands had broken up because of personal conflicts? Way more than Nick even wanted to try counting.

  As they cleaned up the area, Nick was biding his time, waiting for the right moment. Now that he knew what he was going to say, he just had to play the waiting game. He realized during that time that he had all but tuned out all the business talk, had merely nodded when needed and added a yes or no at the appropriate spots in the conversation, but he hadn’t really participated. In fact, it just sunk in that Val Hella would be supporting Last Five Seconds during their tour in the spring, after doing several dates in January and early February supporting indie bands across the country. And, if he hadn’t been distracted by Sa
brina, he would have been a whole hell of a lot more excited to realize he was going to see those guys. He considered them friends from way back, considering that band had been part of his first “tour” ever, a small multistate three-band tour spread across Colorado and a few connecting states in an effort to expand their fan base. It had worked—Nick was sure of that—but more importantly, it had solidified his respect for Last Five Seconds. He would always look back upon that tour fondly. Good times.

  But…to the matter at hand. Brad and Val had picked up the leftover food and dishes and were taking them back to the house. He’d have no better time to talk to Brina alone than now, not if he planned on doing it today. He stood up and faced her. She had in her hands her black iPhone and was swiping at the screen. All Nick could do was hope that he could steal her attention from that device for a few seconds. Otherwise, he was going to throw in the towel.

  He cleared his throat and approached her. “Got a minute?”

  It took her a few seconds, and in that space of time, Nick was certain she was going to blow him off, but she looked up, one eyebrow arched. Goddamn, it was decided—he loved the tricks she did with those thin black eyebrows of hers. “Shoot.”

  Nick drew in a deep breath, filling his lungs. “I feel like we started off on the wrong foot…but I think, as bandmates, that it would be a good idea for us to get along, so I wondered if you wanted to have a quick drink and talk.”

  He could see amusement behind her eyes but she didn’t flat out smile. Both her eyebrows lifted, though, and, yeah…he loved that too. “I think I’m getting along with you just fine.”

  “Well, yeah…I guess so.” How the hell did this woman frequently manage to leave him speechless?

  Then she did smile. “What did you have in mind?”

  Had she been fucking with him and Nick had been so tense, so worried, even when thinking he wasn’t, that he’d missed it? Well, no matter. She seemed to be agreeable, and he couldn’t lose this opportunity. If he’d felt more comfortable being open with her, he would have shaken his head; with this woman, though, he felt the need to hold the cards close. For some inexplicable reason, he felt like she could and maybe would exploit any weaknesses she found, so he needed to make sure he didn’t appear vulnerable.

  Not that he was.

  So he shrugged. “Eh, I dunno. We could either go to my place for a beer or two or we could go to a bar.”

  Her smile didn’t fade. “Why do I get the feeling that I shouldn’t be alone in your place with you?”

  Was she actually flirting? He couldn’t help the chuckle that poured out of his mouth. “Suit yourself…but I have premium shit, babe.” She scowled. Oh, fuck. Terms of endearment not allowed. No problem. He could remember that—but he wasn’t about to apologize. She’d live. “A bar it is, then. I can drive if you want.”

  She smiled again, his faux pas either forgiven or forgotten. “Nah. How about I follow you to wherever we’re going?”

  “We can do that too.” He was still absorbing the fact that she’d said yes. Anything else was gravy.

  So they made their way into the house to wrap up and say goodbye. Chris tugged on Nick’s pant leg, so he lifted the child up and let him give him a goodbye hug. Nick would never admit it out loud, but he loved those damn kids. He had the honorary title of uncle, as did Zane, but he actually felt like those kids were part of him somehow. He didn’t know if Zane felt the same way, but those kids were a huge part of Nick’s life. He wouldn’t have a clue what to do without them. Sure, there were times he’d go without seeing them—a month here or there—but most of the time, he saw them once a week—at least. For that, he was grateful.

  He and Brina walked out together, and that was when he knew she was serious about taking him up on the offer of a drink. She’d had more than one chance to bail and chose to stick around. As they walked out the door together, she said, “So I’ll follow you? Where we goin’?”

  “Well, my favorite bar’s quite a way away from here, and I don’t want you going out of your way just to have a drink with me. I think there’s a bar a couple of miles from here…if you don’t mind taking the scenic route.”

  She nodded. “I’m good with that. I should be able to find my way out after if it seems easy to get lost.” She patted her ass. Oh, God, wouldn’t he love to do that for her. “Got my trusty Google maps app on my phone.” Oh…which was in her back pocket. If she only knew what thoughts she’d incited in his filthy mind from that little act alone.

  But he had to remember she had no interest in him. She’d already established that much. “All right. See you there.” Nick climbed in his car and that was when he saw Brina hop on a gorgeous silver and black Harley. Holy hell. No, it didn’t shock him in the least, but it did nothing but stoke the lust burning in his heart.

  He turned the ignition but his mind wasn’t on driving. Jesus. Could this woman not get any more perfect? Every little thing she did made her that much more desirable, and it was killing him. She’d never care about him, would never find him attractive nor lust after him the same way, so he had to stop tormenting himself with his thoughts. No, the best he could do would be to settle into a friendship and they could become close bandmates, united for the good of the team. That wasn’t what his cock wanted, but his heart would settle for it.

  It didn’t take him long to find the bar he’d been thinking of, but his eyes had been on the rearview mirror just as much as they’d been on the road in front of him. She wore a helmet, but he felt like he could see her eyes on him anyway. And she handled that bike like it was part of her body. Seriously just made her hotter.

  When they got to the bar, she parked next to him, and he stood, waiting for her to join him so they could walk in together. “Sweet bike, by the way.”

  Brina flashed an uneven grin at him, one side of her mouth turning up higher than the other. “Yeah, she is, isn’t she?” He nodded as they walked toward the doors of the bar. “I got her about a year ago. I was tired of paying as much as I was for gas and, besides, I can slide through rush-hour traffic easier. I don’t regret the purchase.”

  Nick held the door open for her. “You look fuckin’ hot on that thing.” So he was a pig. He couldn’t help it. The woman was damn hot.

  She didn’t slap him or give him a pissed off look or even a piece of her mind. She simply said, “Thanks.”

  Oh, shit. She shouldn’t do that. It would only encourage him. He couldn’t help his raised eyebrows, and she noticed them as she sauntered past him.

  Damn…the woman could wear skin-tight black whatever well, too. He wondered if she even owned any colors other than black or silver for the accessories.

  Oh, and red lipstick…and bra.

  Nick let the air out of his lungs and let Brina lead the way through the bar. He’d let her decide where she wanted to sit—bar or table or booth. It made no difference to him. He was just glad that she’d agreed to sit and chat.

  She chose a booth and they waited for a cocktail waitress to head over and take their order. Nick asked for a Guinness, not wanting something too hard to start off with, but she wasn’t going to let up now. He was beginning to wonder if showing him up was becoming a challenge for her, like she wanted to do it every chance she got. She ordered a whiskey, neat, no chaser, and then sat back with that fucking look on her face.

  Yeah, that one. The one she most often gave Nick…and he couldn’t decipher it. It was driving him crazy. But that was why they were here.

  He also felt underdressed next to her. She wore a black leather fitted vest and matching shorts that were almost too short…not that he’d been complaining. Fishnet hose, tall black boots—the woman was formidable, and he was surprised it didn’t make his dick go limp.

  Oh, hell, no. It did the exact opposite.

  Well, no better time than the present to get down to business and get his mind out of the gutter, whether or not it felt at home there. He didn’t want to drag it out and wait for the drinks. “I wanted you and me t
o have a drink together so we can…” What the hell did he even want to say?

  She smirked. “Bond?”

  He laughed. “Well, yeah, I guess. Kinda. It just seems like maybe you don’t like me or respect me or whatever… I just feel like if we’re gonna be in the same band together, even if you don’t like me, we need to find a way to get along.” That kiss, though—it said something very different.

  She considered him and seemed to be pondering what to say. They had to wait until the waitress dropped off the drinks before she opened her mouth. “No, I don’t hate you.”

  He couldn’t help but notice her choice of words. “Yeah, but you don’t exactly like me either.”

  “I never said that.” She raised her glass to her lips and took a big swig. She didn’t even shudder or gasp. It went down her throat like water. He couldn’t even hear it in her voice when she spoke—the sounds coming from her mouth were as low and melodic as they’d ever been. “You seem like a decent guy, Nick. I just…don’t play well with others. I guess you should know that now.”

  Nick smiled and took a drink out of the bottle in front of him. “I don’t mind a little scrapping, babe.”

  Oh, shit.

  She leaned over and her voice was dangerously low, but not so low that he couldn’t hear it over the music playing in the background. It was husky too, only making her feel sexier by the second. “Did you seriously just call me that again?”

  He didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. “Sorry. Habit. Just slipped.”

  She wasn’t about to let it go, though. “Let’s get one thing clear, Nick. Yeah, we can be friends. We can be coworkers. We can even get along and maybe even learn to enjoy each other’s company, but I am not, nor will I ever be, your babe.”

  He grinned. He couldn’t help himself. She had that angry look on her face again, the one that made him hot. “It’s just a term of endearment.”